


all you've got to do is want something (and then let yourself have it)

by lavi0123



Series: lavi does maiko halloweek 2020 [3]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: F/M, Fall Maiko Week 2020, Halloween AU, because even if trick-or-treating was a thing there's no way sozin wouldn't outlaw it, no beta we die like lu ten, plus i know they trick-or-treat in some places in east asia but halloween seems to be more spiritual, prompt: AU, so this probably wouldn't happen in canon, yeah this counts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-31
Updated: 2020-10-31
Packaged: 2021-03-09 06:27:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,797
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27309889
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lavi0123/pseuds/lavi0123
Summary: Halloween was, indisputably, the best time of the year, according to Zuko and Mai. It was the one time each year when they were allowed to dress up and run around trick-or-treating with exuberance hidden carefully behind their masks but fully felt.Afterwards, they always downed all the sugar their stomachs could take. It was wonderful.Though, of course, this was before Azula found out and decided that she was old enough to take part.Or: Zuko and Mai have a tradition of trick-or-treating in secret with Ursa's help, but then Azula finds out and demands to go along(See beginning note for clarification of the violence in this story)
Relationships: Azula & Mai (Avatar), Azula & Zuko (Avatar), Mai/Zuko (Avatar)
Series: lavi does maiko halloweek 2020 [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1990834
Comments: 6
Kudos: 22
Collections: Fall Maiko Week 2020





	all you've got to do is want something (and then let yourself have it)

**Author's Note:**

> To clarify on the graphic violence:  
> -There's a mention of Mai throwing her shuriken, it hitting someone's eye, and that someone screaming  
> -Azula aggravating the eye wound with blue fire to keep them from coming after the Siblings + Mai again. She's a bit gleeful about it  
> -There's a kidnapping attempt? Idk if that counts but I'm marking it down here
> 
> That's basically word-for-word what the sentences say, so...viewer discretion is advised

Halloween was, indisputably, the best time of the year, according to Zuko and Mai. It was the one time each year when they were allowed to dress up and run around trick-or-treating with exuberance hidden carefully behind their masks but fully felt. They weren’t technically allowed to trick-or-treat, but Mai always made the excuse of sleeping over with her friend, Zuko, and her parents were all too happy to let her go, and Ursa covered for both of them so that Ozai never even knew they were gone.

After trick-or-treating, they always holed up together in a corner of the palace, swapping sweets and giggling as they downed all the sugar their stomachs could take. It was wonderful.

Though, of course, this was before Azula found out and decided that she was old enough to take part.

Azula was eight when she first approached Ursa, boldly declaring that she knew about her mother’s secret, and if she didn’t let her go with them, she’d march right to Ozai and tell him exactly what was going on. Ursa, afraid for the two children and somewhat guilty that she hadn’t invited Azula along, agreed readily.

So, when Zuko and Mai were getting ready for Halloween, dressing up as Gomez and Morticia Addams (this had been Ursa’s suggestion), Azula walked in to them giggling about some inside joke.

“Well, well, if it isn’t the lovebirds.”

Mai and Zuko sprang apart, turning panicked gazes on Azula–Zuko’s shifted to anger, while Mai’s shifted to a clearly-forced neutrality. “What do you want, Azula?”

“Now, Zuzu, I’m not here to tell on you, if that’s what you’re afraid of.” Azula grinned. “But our dear mother has agreed to let me join you on your little escapade.”

“You can’t,” he snapped. “Not without a costume.”

Azula arched her brow and held up a black dress with a section of orange by the hem and at the bodice, and a black hat.“You mean  _ this _ costume?”

“A witch?” Mai guessed. “How original.”

Azula scowled. “If you’d like, I can go tell Dad right now, and save us all the trouble–”

“No!” Mai and Zuko protested, Mai blushing furiously at her own outburst. Zuko took the thread, saying, “Fine, you can join us. But you have to wear a mask.”

“Obviously, Dum-Dum. I’m not stupid.”

***

“Stick close to me,” Zuko warned, holding her hand tightly with his left hand and Mai’s with his right.

Azula scoffed. “I can take care of myself.”

“No offense, but you’re not good enough at hand-to-hand to best even me, let alone some of the people prowling these streets at night. And if you firebend, it’ll give away who you are. Do you want us to get caught?”

Azula huffed but sighed. “Fine. Where to first?”

“You think that lady three houses up the street has the same sweets as last time?” Mai wondered aloud. “I did so love the Meiji almonds she gave us.”

“Not a fan of those,” Zuko said, “but I did like the Black Thunder in her bowl. Let’s go see.”

“What about plain old Meiji bars?” Azula objected. “Chocolate-covered almonds are a trick. Even I’m not that cruel.”

“Later, Lala, now keep up. Don’t forget who’s letting you come along.”

“Don’t call me that,  _ Zuzu _ , and don’t forget whose information can put a stop to all this faster than you can beg for mercy.”

They were so preoccupied with their squabble that they didn’t notice the eyes tracking their movement from afar. But Mai did, catching the glint of retreating eyes, and hastened them along. “Come on. Let’s be quick about it.”

“Why the rush?” Zuko protested. “The night is young, we’ve got  _ hours _ until the moon's peak!”

Mai frowned. “Just...be quick, all right? I have a bad feeling.”

Azula scoffed. “Well, at least you feel  _ something _ . Here I was, thinking you were an autom-atom-ahto–”

“Automaton?” Mai supplied wearily.

“Yes, that. Look, if you don’t wanna come, you can leave! Zuzu’s more than capable of taking me himself, aren’t you, Zuzu?”

Zuko, for once, didn’t object to Azula, and Mai scowled. “You’re not serious. You know it’s not safe at night.”

“I have my swords!” Zuko protested. “And...look, I think she might be right. We’ve been doing this for a few years now, and nothing’s happened. We’ll be fine.”

“You can’t fight them off  _ and _ protect her!” Mai protested. “Think rationally, Zu..”

“Mai, I really think you’re overreacting. Just...go home, okay? Tell Mom we’ll be there in two hours or so.”

“Two hours?!” Azula and Mai cried, though for different reasons.

“Zuzu, I wanna be out here for longer!” Azula whined. “You and Mai always go for  _ hours _ –you came home  _ after  _ the moon's peak! Why can’t we stay out for that long?”

“You can’t stay out this late alone–if it comes to a fight with more than one person, how are you gonna fight both of them and keep them from taking her?”

“Both of you, be quiet!” Zuko snapped. “Now, listen. Mai, you go back home and reassure Mom. Lala–”

“ _ Don’t call me– _ ”

“ _ Listen _ ! Mai’s right that it’s not safe to be out too late at night, but it’s usually safe until the moon’s peak, so  _ that’s _ when I’ll take you home. Now, if either of you want to argue with me, do it  _ tomorrow _ !” His eyes blazed, and secretly, the two girls thought he’d never looked more like a dragon than in that moment.

Mai scoffed. “Fine. If that’s what you want, I’ll leave. But don’t blame me when you end up in a bad situation.”

Zuko sighed. “Mai–”

“See you tomorrow.” And without giving him a chance to argue, Mai turned and fled, her scowl giving way to tears once she was far enough away that they wouldn’t be able to hear or tell.

Azula sighed. “Finally! Now we can have some real fun, right, Zuzu?”

“Sure,” Zuko allowed, “as long as we’re still careful. And we only have two hours until the moon’s peak, so we need to be home by then. Don’t you dare argue,” he added sternly.

Azula huffed. “I wasn’t gonna, Dum-Dum. Now let’s get moving! I wanna get some of that Black Thunder, then go pilfer someone else for Meiji bars.”

***

Mai, of course, hadn’t gone home, nor did she intend to. Instead, she followed the two at a distance, far enough away that they wouldn’t be able to tell, but close enough to intervene should something happen.

Sure enough, as the two siblings made their way home with surprisingly bright smiles, Mai caught sight of someone else following them, with enough ease in the dark alleys that she knew they had done this before. Her eyes narrowed, and she maintained her steady pace, grip tightening on one of her shurikens.

“...Zuzu?”

“What’s wrong?”

“Do you...do you feel like we’re being followed?”

Mai anticipated the aggressor’s move and sprang in front of the siblings, blocking the attack easily. “Going somewhere?”

“Mai!” Zuko cried in relief, and behind her mask, Mai smiled.

The aggressor growled. “Outta my way, kid. You’re not my target.”

“Oh? That’s too bad.” She smirked. “Because you’re  _ mine _ .”

The fight was quick, but it felt longer. The aggressor was persistent and didn’t seem to know when to quit, until finally, she managed to pin him to the wall with a few well-placed shurikens. She smirked in satisfaction, ready to call it a night, when–

“ZUZU!”

Her heart froze, and she turned to see Azula in the grip of another aggressor, a flaming dagger held to her throat. Her mask lay discarded on the floor, and she looked...terrified. It was an expression Mai had never seen before on the young princess, and protectiveness surged in her at seeing it, quickly retreating into the shadows to strategize.

“Let her go,” Zuko demanded sharply.

“Oh? And who’s gonna make me,  _ Your Highness _ ?” The kidnapper sneered. “You gonna challenge me to an Agni Kai for your precious sister?”

As they talked, Mai assessed the kidnapper, searching for weaknesses where she could strike with her shuriken.

“Don’t tempt me,” Zuko snarled. “Why are you even kidnapping her? You do know the Fire Lord will have your head once he finds out?”

“Ah, but you already know there’s more than one of us. Even if he kills one of us...there are plenty more. You would be wise not to underestimate us.”

_ His right eye should do it, it’s the one closest to Azula. If I could just– _

“Who are y–?”

“Enough!” The kidnapper snapped. “I don’t know what you think you’re planning, Prince Zuko, but it won’t last long. Once my partner gets free–”

But in the time he took to talk, Mai had taken aim and thrown her shuriken. It struck the kidnapper’s eye, and he screamed, releasing Azula, who unleashed a blue plume of flame on the man, aggravating the eye wound.

Mai, meanwhile, repeated the action for the aggressor, who had begun to break free from her other shurikens. “Stay down,” she warned, voice low. “Azula, stand down!”

But Azula’s eyes were alight with vicious glee. “We ought to teach them a lesson, don’t you think?”

“No!” Zuko snapped, pulling her away. “You’ve made your point. Now let’s go.”

“They’ll just come after us again!” Azula snapped back. “Next year, when we–what?”

Zuko met Mai’s eyes while she spoke, and a mutual understanding passed between them. They’d gotten lucky the past few years, not being targeted, but they couldn’t risk that. They couldn’t risk this happening again–their parents would find out, or they’d be killed, and neither of them was sure which was worse.

“What?” Azula insisted, bordering on a whine. “What aren’t you telling me?”

“Let’s get home,” Mai decided. “It’s past the moon’s peak.”

Zuko nodded. “Agreed, C’mon, Lala.”

Still confused, Azula nonetheless took Zuko’s hand and walked with them in sullen silence.

“Did you guys at least get some good candy?”

Azula brightened at that. “We did! I managed to find some Meiji bars!”

“And I got you some of those Meiji almonds you love so much,” Zuko added to Mai with a smile.

“You know me so well.”

***

Three years later, Mai stared out her window at the kids giggling and running around, donning costumes and carrying buckets loaded with candy. Her shoulders drooped, and she sighed.

“Mai, what’s the matter?”

Mai looked up at her mother and shook her head. “Nothing, Mother. I just wish the kids wouldn’t make such a racket out there.”

Her mother pursed her lips and sighed. “Yes, well, they enjoy it. It’s hardly our place to say anything. Though I’m glad you managed to avoid such nonsense.”

“Yeah,” Mai agreed, swallowing the lump in her throat. “Me too.”

**Author's Note:**

> I went back-and-forth on AUs for a while before finally settling on this one. I don't like writing ATLA AUs usually, because ATLA is such a rich and complex world on its own, but this one felt fitting given what day it is for me! Happy Halloween to all you guys, gals, and nonbinary pals! We might not be able to trick-or-treat (at least not where I am), but we can live vicariously through the characters!
> 
> Sorry not sorry about the angst. I had to XD
> 
> You might be wondering how this qualifies as an AU (or maybe not, but I'm gonna tell you anyway). Well:  
> -Pretty sure trick-or-treating wasn't actually a thing in canon. It's done in East Asia but not as much as in the US, there's more of a focus on honoring the dead. Plus, there's no way Sozin wouldn't have outlawed it, since he outlawed the dancing of 100 years ago (can't have trick-or-treating in a military state, I'm guessing).  
> -Azula and Zuko's relationship is a little more idealized here than in canon. I doubt they ever got along well by the time Azula was 8, and a night of trick-or-treating isn't likely to change that very much  
> -Mai is Zuko's age here, though that's not entirely relevant. The reason is because the way she acts toward Azula here is almost identical to that of Zuko, which makes more sense if they're the same age
> 
> I looked up the candy (it's Japanese candy), so hopefully it's accurate to the region.
> 
> Thanks for reading! Happy Halloween, and stay safe!


End file.
